Program, game control method, and information processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A program, a game control method, and an information processing apparatus, which are capable of improving operability of a game. A program causing an information processing apparatus to execute a step of causing an object arranged on a field object in a virtual space in which a coordinate system having a first axis and a second axis is set to be displayed on a screen in which a coordinate system having a third axis and a fourth axis is set, a step of detecting first and second positions on the screen while the first user operation is being detected, and a moving step of moving the object according to a first user operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a program, a game control method, and aninformation processing apparatus.

Background Art

In the past, a game in which a character arranged in a virtual space ismoved according to a user operation has been known. For example, a gamein which a user character is moved on a map according to a useroperation, and when the user character encounters an enemy character,the user character fights a battle against the enemy character isdisclosed in JP-A-11-179048.

In recent years, a game is executed, for example, in an informationprocessing apparatus equipped with a touch panel such as a smart phone.However, when an operation of a game is performed using a touch panel,there are cases in which operability is not sufficient. For example, ina game in which a character is moved in a moving direction determinedaccording to a swipe operation in which the user moves his/her fingerwhile contacting with a touch panel, there are cases in which thecharacter is moved in the moving direction that is not intended by theuser due to delicate position deviation of the swipe operation. Thus,there is room for improvement in operability of a game.

In light of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide aprogram, a game control method, and an information processing apparatus,which are capable of improving operability of a game.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above problem, a non-transitory program withcomputer executable instructions which, when executed, according to theinvention causes an information processing apparatus that executes agame carry out the steps of:

a step of causing an object arranged on a field object in a virtualspace in which a world coordinate system having a first axis and asecond axis is set to be displayed on a screen in which a screencoordinate system having a third axis and a fourth axis is set,

a step of detecting a first user operation,

a step of detecting first and second positions on the screen accordingto the first user operation while the first user operation is beingdetected, and

a first moving step of moving the object relatively to the object in thevirtual space according to the detected first user operation,

wherein in the first moving step, a first speed component serving as afirst axis direction component of a moving speed of the object is setaccording to a third axis direction component of a distance between thefirst position and the second position, and a second speed componentserving as a second axis direction component of the moving speed of theobject is set according to a fourth axis direction component of adistance between the first position and the second position, and

the first speed component when the third axis direction component of thedistance between the first position and the second position is apredetermined value is different from the second speed component whenthe fourth axis direction component of the distance between the firstposition and the second position is the predetermined value.

A game control method according to the invention is a game controlmethod performed by an information processing apparatus and includes

a step of causing an object arranged on a field object in a virtualspace in which a world coordinate system having a first axis and asecond axis is set to be displayed on a screen in which a screencoordinate system having a third axis and a fourth axis is set,

a step of detecting a first user operation,

a step of detecting first and second positions on the screen accordingto the first user operation while the first user operation is beingdetected, and

a first moving step of moving the object relatively to the object in thevirtual space according to the detected first user operation,

wherein in the first moving step, a first speed component serving as afirst axis direction component of a moving speed of the object is setaccording to a third axis direction component of a distance between thefirst position and the second position, and a second speed componentserving as a second axis direction component of the moving speed of theobject is set according to a fourth axis direction component of adistance between the first position and the second position, and

the first speed component when the third axis direction component of thedistance between the first position and the second position is apredetermined value is different from the second speed component whenthe fourth axis direction component of the distance between the firstposition and the second position is the predetermined value.

An information processing apparatus according to the invention is aninformation processing apparatus that executes a game, and includes

a display unit that displays a screen, and

a control unit,

wherein the control unit

causes an object arranged on a field object in a virtual space in whicha world coordinate system having a first axis and a second axis is setto be displayed on a screen in which a screen coordinate system having athird axis and a fourth axis is set,

detects a first user operation,

detects first and second positions on the screen according to the firstuser operation while the first user operation is being detected, and

performs a movement process of moving the object relatively to theobject in the virtual space according to the detected first useroperation,

in the movement process, a first speed component serving as a first axisdirection component of a moving speed of the object is set according toa third axis direction component of a distance between the firstposition and the second position, and a second speed component servingas a second axis direction component of the moving speed of the objectis set according to a fourth axis direction component of a distancebetween the first position and the second position, and

the first speed component when the third axis direction component of thedistance between the first position and the second position is apredetermined value is different from the second speed component whenthe fourth axis direction component of the distance between the firstposition and the second position is the predetermined value.

According to a program, a game control method, and an informationprocessing apparatus of the invention, operability of a game isimproved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a game system according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a field image;

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram illustrating a schematic shape of afield object;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional diagram obtained by cutting a field objectarranged in a virtual space along a plane substantially parallel to aYw-Zw plane;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a field screen;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating examples of first and second positionsdetermined according to a first user operation on the field screen ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a field screen, that is,an example in which a game content is moving in an Xw axis direction;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional diagram, which is obtained by cutting afield object along a plane substantially parallel to a Yw-Zw plane,illustrating an example in which a field object slides in a Yw axisdirection;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating examples of first and second positionsdetermined according to a first user operation on the field screen ofFIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a field screen, that is,an example in which a game content moves in a Yw axis direction;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a field screen, that is,an example in which a game content moves in a Yw axis direction by apredetermined distance;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of an informationprocessing apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a terminal controlunit that performs a movement process in an Xw axis direction in FIG.12;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a terminal controlunit that performs a movement process in a Yw axis direction in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15A is a diagram illustrating an example in which screencoordinates of a first position are automatically updated according to achange in a second position;

FIG. 15B is a diagram illustrating an example in which screencoordinates of a first position are automatically updated according to achange in a second position, and specifically showing the control unitsetting the second position before the change as a new first position;and

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional diagram obtained by cutting a field objectaccording to a modified example arranged in a virtual space along aplane substantially parallel to a Yw-Zw plane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described.

First, an information processing apparatus 10 according to the inventionwill be described with reference to FIG. 1. Examples of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 include a smart phone, a PC, and a game machineand can execute a game application according to the present embodiment.For example, the game application may be received from a predeterminedapplication delivery server via the Internet or may be stored in astorage apparatus with which the information processing apparatus 10 isequipped or a storage medium such as a memory card readable by theinformation processing apparatus 10.

Here, an overview of a game according to the present embodiment will bedescribed. For example, the game according to the present embodiment maybe a game in which a game content is moved on a field in a game such asa role playing game or a simulation game.

A game content is electronic data used in a game, and includes, forexample, an arbitrary medium such as a card, an item, a character, anavatar, and an object. The game content is electronic data that can beacquired, owned, used, managed, exchanged, combined, enhanced, sold,discarded, and/or detonated by the user in a game, but a use form of thegame content is not limited to ones described in this specification.

Hereinafter, a “game content owned by the user” indicates a game contentassociated with a user ID of the user except when explicitly statedotherwise. “Providing a game content to the user” indicates associatingthe game content with the user ID. “Discarding a game content owned bythe user” indicates canceling an association between the user ID and thegame content. “Consuming a game content owned by the user” indicatescausing any effect or influence to happen in a game according tocancellation of an association between a user ID and a game content.“Selling a game content owned by the user” indicates cancelling anassociation between a user ID and a game content and then associating auser ID with another game content (for example, virtual currency or anitem). “Assigning a game content owned by a user A to a user B”indicates canceling an association between a user ID of the user A and agame content and then associating a user ID of the user B with the gamecontent.

The game according to the present embodiment roughly includes a firstgame part, a second game part, and a third game part.

In the first game part, the user conducts a game while exploring a fieldin a game by operating the user character. Specifically, the usercharacter moves on the field according to the user operation. Forexample, various areas such as a town and a dungeon are disposed in thefield, and various events according to an area such as a conversationwith a resident character in a town and a battle against an enemycharacter encountered in a dungeon happen. As an event happens, a mainstory of a game progresses. In the first game part, for example, whenthe user wins the battle against the enemy character, for example, thegame content such as an item, virtual currency, or a character may beprovided to the user. The provided game content can be used, forexample, in the third game part which will be described later.

As will be described later, a path along which the user character ismovable is disposed in the field according to the present embodiment.Specifically, a plurality of paths (horizontal paths) extending insubstantially parallel to one direction (for example, a horizontaldirection) of a screen and a plurality of paths (vertical paths)connecting two horizontal paths extending in another direction (forexample, a vertical direction) of the screen are disposed. As will bedescribed later, in the present embodiment, the user character moves onthe game field along the horizontal path at a moving speed according toa predetermined user operation. On the other hand, the user charactermoves on the game field along the vertical path by a predetermineddistance, for example, a distance from one horizontal path to anotherhorizontal path. As described above, in the present embodiment, aprocess of moving the user character when the user character moves alongthe horizontal path differs from that when the user character movesalong the vertical path. The process of moving the user character willbe described later in detail.

In the second game part, the user collects various game media such as anitem, virtual currency, and a character. Specifically, when the usercharacter is moved to a specific area such as a mine or a fishing holedisposed on the field, or a game content such as a specific character orobject is selected (for example, a touch operation on the screen) isselected, a sub event in which the game content can be acquired isgenerated. The sub event includes, for example, the progress of a substory or execution of a mini game, but content of the sub event is notlimited thereto. Various game media can be provided to the useraccording to an execution result of the sub event. The provided gamecontent can be used, for example, in the third game part which will bedescribed later.

In the third game part, for example, the user enhances the usercharacter. Specifically, as the game content provided in the first gamepart and the second game part as described above is consumed, variousgame parameters of the user character change. The game parameterincludes, for example, a level, a HP, offensive power, defensive power,an attribute, and a skill of the user character but is not limitedthereto. The user character is enhanced according to a change in thegame parameter of the user character. The enhancement of the usercharacter increases a probability that the user character can win thebattle against the enemy character in the first game part.

As described above, in the game according to the present embodiment, theuser repeatedly performs the first game part, the second game part, andthe third game part.

Next, respective components of the information processing apparatus 10will be described. The information processing apparatus 10 includes astorage unit 11, a display unit 12, and a control unit 13.

The storage unit 11 is, for example, a storage apparatus and storesvarious information and programs necessary for a process of a game. Forexample, the storage unit 11 stores a game application.

The storage unit 11 stores various images (texture images) that are tobe projected (texture mapped) on various objects arranged in a threedimensional virtual space.

For example, the storage unit 11 stores an image of the user character.Hereinafter, the user character is referred to as a “first gamecontent,” and an object onto which an image of the first game content isprojected is referred to as a “first object.”

The storage unit 11 stores, for example, an image of a building, a wall,a tree, or a non player character (NPC). Hereinafter, a building, awall, a tree, an NPC, and the like are referred to as a “second gamecontent,” and an object onto which an image of the second game contentis projected is referred to as a “second object.”

The storage unit 11 stores, for example, an image (a background image)of a background such as the sky or a distant view. The background imageis projected onto a background object which will be described later.

The storage unit 11 stores an image (a field image) of the field (forexample, a ground surface). The field image is projected onto the fieldobject which will be described later. The field object onto which theimage of the field is projected is used as a virtual field (a groundsurface) in a game.

Here, a texture coordinate system having an u axis and a v axis whichare orthogonal to each other is set in the field image, for example, asillustrated in FIG. 2. In the present embodiment, a plurality of firstregions 14 corresponding to a plurality of horizontal paths in which thefirst game content is movable and one or more second regions 15corresponding to one or more vertical paths are set in the field image.As will be described later, the first region 14 and the second region 15projected onto the field object are set in the horizontal path and thevertical path, respectively.

The storage unit 11 stores correspondence information in which thesecond object is associated with texture coordinates of the field image.As will be described later, the correspondence information is used bythe control unit 13 that performs a process of arranging the second gamecontent on the field object.

The display unit 12 is, for example, a display device such as a liquidcrystal display or an organic EL display and displays various screens.

The display unit 12 is configured with, for example, a touch panel, andfunctions as an interface that detects various user operations.

For example, the display unit 12 can detect a tap operation, a long tapoperation, a flick operation, and a swipe operation of the user. The tapoperation is an operation in which the user touches the display unit 12with a finger and then takes the finger off. The long tap operation isan operation in which the user touches the display unit 12 with a fingerand then holds without moving the finger touching the display unit 12.The flick operation is an operation in which the user touches thedisplay unit 12 with a finger and then takes the finger off while movingthe finger touching the display unit 12. The swipe operation is anoperation in which the user touches the display unit 12 with a fingerand then holds the finger touching the display unit 12 movably.Preferably, the display unit 12 can detect the above-described operation(for example, a multi-tap operation) performed by the user using aplurality of fingers.

The control unit 13 is a dedicated microprocessor or a CPU that reads aspecific program and implements a specific function. The control unit 13controls an operation of the information processing apparatus 10 ingeneral. For example, the control unit 13 executes the game applicationaccording to the user operation on the display unit 12. The control unit13 executes various processes related to a game.

For example, the control unit 13 causes the field object and the screen(the field screen) on which the first object is displayed to bedisplayed on the display unit 12. The control unit 13 causes the firstobject in the virtual space to move on the field object, relatively tothe field object according to a predetermined user operation on thefield screen. A specific example will be described below.

First, a field object 16 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. Thefield object 16 is configured with a plurality of object elements (forexample, a polygonal plane mesh). An object coordinate system having anXo axis, a Yo axis, and a Zo axis that are orthogonal to one another isset in the field object 16. In the present embodiment, the field object16 has a shape in which a cross-sectional shape in an arbitrary planesubstantially parallel to a Yo-Zo plane extends in an Xo axis directionand is, for example, a sheet-like object having substantially nothickness. In the present specification, the cross-sectional shape ofthe object includes a shape related to a cross-sectional shape of aobject having substantially no thickness such as a straight line, acurved line, or a combination thereof. The shape in which thecross-sectional shape extends includes a shape of the field object 16obtained by adding, modifying or deleting an object element to or of thefield object 16 in which the cross-sectional shape has extended. Forexample, both the shape of the field object 16 obtained by forming aconcave-convex shape corresponding to a virtual “mountain” or “valley”on the field object 16 illustrated in FIG. 3 and the shape of the fieldobject 16 obtained by deleting some object elements from the fieldobject 16 illustrated in FIG. 3 are included in the “shape in which thecross-sectional shape extends.” The field object 16 includes a firstportion 17 and a second portion 18.

The first portion 17 has substantially a planar shape in the presentembodiment and is disposed on an Xo-Yo plane. The shape of the firstportion 17 is limited to a planar shape and may be, for example, a shapein which a cross-sectional shape of the first portion 17 in an arbitraryplane substantially parallel to the Yo-Zo plane has an arbitrarycurvature. In this case, the first portion 17 is disposed, for example,such that an end portion of the first portion 17 in a −Yo direction ispositioned on the Xo-Yo plane.

The second portion 18 is a portion (an inclined portion) that extendsfrom an end of the first portion 17, for example, in the −Yo directionand is inclined to one surface side (for example, the +Zo side) of theXo-Yo plane. In the present embodiment, the second portion 18 isconfigured with a plurality of object elements but may be configured,for example, as a substantially curved surface by sufficientlydecreasing the size of each object element. Alternatively, each ofobject elements constituting the second portion 18 may be a curvedsurface.

Here, the control unit 13 projects the field object 16 onto the fieldimage. The projection of the field image is performed, for example, bytexture mapping. Specifically, the control unit 13 maps points (texturecoordinates) on the field image with a plurality of apexes (objectcoordinates) on the field object 16, and projects the field image ontothe field object 16. Here, an apex is, for example, an apex in a meshserving as an object element constituting an object.

As described above, the field object 16 onto which the field image isprojected is used as a virtual field (ground surface) in a game. Thefirst region 14 and the second region 15 on the field image projectedonto the field object 16 are set in a horizontal path 19 and a verticalpath 20 in which the first game content is movable. In the presentembodiment, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a plurality ofhorizontal paths 19 extend in substantially parallel to the Xo axis ofthe object coordinate system. Each of a plurality of vertical paths 20extends between two of the horizontal paths 19 and connects the twohorizontal paths 19. Preferably, the length of the horizontal path 19 inthe longitudinal direction (for example, the length in the Xo axisdirection) is larger than the length of the vertical path 20 in thelongitudinal direction (for example, the length in the Yo axisdirection).

Then, the control unit 13 arranges the field object 16 in threedimensional virtual space, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4. InFIG. 4, for the sake of convenience of description, only six apexes A toF associated with the field object 16 are illustrated, but an arbitrarynumber of apexes may be set. Here, a world coordinate system having anXw axis (a first axis), a Yw axis (a second axis), and a Zw axis thatare orthogonal to one another is set in the virtual space. For example,the control unit 13 arranges the field object 16 in the virtual space,for example, so that the Xo axis and the Yo axis of the field object 16are identical to the Xw axis and the Yw axis of the virtual space,respectively. Thus, the second portion 18 (object elements CD, DE, andEF in FIG. 4) of the field object 16 arranged in the virtual space existon one surface side (for example, a +Zw side) of the virtual space.

Then, the control unit 13 arranges a virtual camera 21 in the virtualspace. As will be described later, the virtual camera 21 is used for aprocess of generating the field screen. In the present embodiment, thevirtual camera 21 is arranged on the other surface side (for example, a−Zw side) of an Xw-Yw plane of the virtual space so that an optical axis22 of the virtual camera 21 is substantially parallel to a Yw-Zw plane.In this case, the second portion 18 of the field object 16 is inclineddownwards when viewed from the virtual camera 21 as it gets away in thedirection of the optical axis 22 of the virtual camera 21. Preferably,the virtual camera 21 is arranged so that the optical axis 22 intersectswith the field object.

Then, the control unit 13 arranges a first object 23 onto which theimage of the first game content is projected, a second object 24 ontowhich the image of the second game content is projected, and abackground object 25 onto which the background image is projected in thevirtual space.

The first object 23 is arranged at an arbitrary position of the fieldobject 16 within a field of view 26 of the virtual camera 21. In thepresent embodiment, the first object 23 is arranged on the first portion17 of the field object 16. The first object 23 is, for example, anplanar shaped object having no thickness. The first object 23 isarranged so an image projection plane satisfies a predeterminedcondition for the optical axis 22 of the virtual camera 21 (for example,so that the image projection plane is substantially vertical to theoptical axis 22).

The second object 24 is arranged at a predetermined position on thefield object 16. Specifically, the control unit 13 reads thecorrespondence information in which the second object 24 is associatedwith the texture coordinates of the field image from the storage unit11. Then, the control unit arranges the second object 24 at positions(object coordinates) on the field object 16 corresponding to the texturecoordinates associated with the second object 24 based on thecorrespondence information. The object coordinates of the field object16 corresponding to the texture coordinates associated with the secondobject 24 are uniquely set through the texture mapping. In the presentembodiment, the second object 24 is, for example, a planar shaped objecthaving no thickness. The second object 24 is arranged so that the imageprojection plane satisfies a predetermined condition for the opticalaxis 22 of the virtual camera 21 (for example, so that the imageprojection plane is substantially vertical to the optical axis 22).

The background object 25 is arranged in the virtual space so that atleast a part of the background object 25 is included in the field ofview 26 of the virtual camera 21. In the present embodiment, thebackground object 25 is arranged to contact with an end portion (theapex F in FIG. 4) in the −Yw direction of the virtual space. Thebackground object 25 is, for example, a planar shaped object having nothickness. The background object 25 is arranged so that the imageprojection plane satisfies a predetermined condition for the opticalaxis 22 of the virtual camera 21 (for example, so that the imageprojection plane satisfies is substantially vertical to the optical axis22).

Then, the control unit 13 causes the field screen looking toward thevirtual space using the virtual camera 21 as a point of view to bedisplayed on the display unit 12. A screen coordinate system includingan x axis (a third axis) and a y axis (a fourth axis) that areorthogonal to each other is set in the field screen, for example, asillustrated in FIG. 5. In the present embodiment, an x axis direction issubstantially identical to a longitudinal direction (for example, ahorizontal direction in FIG. 5) of the field screen, and a y axisdirection is substantially identical to a short direction (for example,a vertical direction in FIG. 5) of the field screen. The x axisdirection of the field screen is substantially identical to an Xw axisdirection of the virtual space.

As described above, at least a part of the field object 16, a part ofthe background object 25, the first object 23, and the second object 24are included in the field of view 26 of the arranged virtual camera 21,for example, arranged as illustrated in FIG. 4. In this case, the fieldscreen displayed on the display unit 12 includes a field region 27 and abackground region 28, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The field region 27 is a region on which the field object 16 isdisplayed and corresponds to the field (the ground surface) in thevirtual space. The background region 28 is a region on which thebackground object 25 is displayed and corresponds to, for example, thesky or the distant view in the virtual space. Here, the field region 27is disposed at the lower side of the field screen (the +y direction sidein the present embodiment), and the background region 28 is disposed atthe upper side (the −y direction side in the present embodiment). Aboundary between the field region 27 and the background region 28corresponds to, for example, a horizon in the virtual space.

The horizontal path 19 and the vertical path 20 can be displayed in thefield region 27. Two horizontal paths 19 a and 19 b and one verticalpath 20 connecting the two horizontal paths 19 a and 19 b areillustrated in FIG. 5.

The first object 23 is displayed on the field screen. In FIG. 5, thereare two first objects 23 on the horizontal path 19 a, but there may bean arbitrary number of first objects 23. As will be described later, thecontrol unit 13 moves the first object 23 relatively to the field object16 according to a predetermined user operation on the field screen.

All the second objects 24 included in the field of view 26 of thevirtual camera 21 are displayed on the field screen. One second object24 (a building) is illustrated in FIG. 5.

As described above, the first object 23, the second object 24, and thebackground object 25 are planar shaped objects and arrangedsubstantially vertically to the optical axis 22 of the virtual camera 21(see FIG. 4). Thus, the first object 23, the second object 24, and thebackground object 25 are displayed on the field screen substantially inparallel to the field screen (that is, an object projection plane facesa screen direction) (see FIG. 5).

Then, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23 on the field object16 relatively to the field object 16 according to a predetermined useroperation on the field screen. Here, the moving relatively includesmoving at least one of the first object 23 and the field object 16 inthe virtual space. In the present embodiment, the control unit 13 movesthe first object 23 relatively to the field object 16 by moving thefield object 16 (that is, changing world coordinates of the field object16) without substantially moving the first object 23 (that is, withoutsubstantially changing world coordinates of the first object 23).

Here, commonly, the display unit 12 with which the informationprocessing apparatus 10 is equipped has the longitudinal direction (forexample, the horizontal direction) and the short direction (for example,the vertical direction), and the field screen according to the presentembodiment has the longitudinal direction and the short directionaccording to the shape of the display unit 12 as described above. Thus,on the field screen, there are an operation region that is relativelylong (large) in the longitudinal direction and an operation region thatis relative short (small) in the short direction.

As will be described later, the control unit 13 moves the first object23 in a direction substantially parallel to an Xw-Zw plane of the firstobject 23 based on information obtained in the operation region that isrelatively long in the longitudinal direction of the field screen amonginformation obtained according to a first user operation. On the otherhand, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23 in a directionsubstantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane of the first object 23 basedon information obtained in the operation region that is relatively shortin the short direction of the field screen among the informationobtained according to the first user operation.

An operation of the control unit 13 for moving the first object 23 onthe field object 16 relatively to the field object 16 will bespecifically described below.

First, an operation of the control unit 13 for moving the first object23 relatively to the field object 16 in a direction substantiallyparallel to the Xw-Zw plane (a first plane) of the virtual space will bedescribed. In the present embodiment, the first object 23 movesrelatively to the field object 16 in the Xw axis direction of thevirtual space. Here, the moving in the Xw axis direction indicates thatthe Xw axis direction component of the moving speed of the first object23 is larger than zero.

Initially, the control unit 13 detects a predetermined user operation(the first user operation) on the field screen. The control unit 13detects the first and second positions on the field screen according tothe first user operation while the first user operation is beingdetected.

In the present embodiment, the first user operation is the swipeoperation. The screen coordinates of the first position are screencoordinates corresponding to the position on the field screen that isinitially designated by the swipe operation. The screen coordinates ofthe second position are screen coordinates corresponding to the positionon the field screen that is currently designated by the swipe operation.Thus, in the present embodiment, the screen coordinates of the secondposition may change momentarily according to the first user operation.The first user operation is not limited to the swipe operation and maybe an arbitrary operation of designating two points on the field screen.For example, the first user operation may be an operation (a longmulti-tap operation) in which the user performs long tapping with twofingers. In this case, the screen coordinates of both of the first andsecond positions may change momentarily according to the first useroperation. Hereinafter, a position vector of the second position havingthe first position as a reference point is also referred to as a “firstinput vector.”

Then, the control unit 13 determines the moving speed of the firstobject 23 along the Xw axis according to the x axis direction componentof the distance between the first position and the second position (thatis, the absolute value of the x axis direction component of the firstinput vector). In the present embodiment, as the x axis directioncomponent of the distance between the first position and the secondposition increases, the moving speed of the first object 23 along the Xwaxis increases. The moving speed of the first object 23 along the Xwaxis may change continuously or stepwise according to the x axisdirection component of the distance between the first position and thesecond position. Here, an aspect in which the moving speed changescontinuously may include an aspect in which a range of the axisdirection component of the moving speed corresponding to each step issufficiently small among aspects in which the moving speed changesstepwise.

Then, the control unit 13 determines a +Xw direction or a −Xw directionof the world coordinate system as the moving direction of the firstobject 23 according to whether a value obtained by subtracting an xcoordinate of the second position from an x coordinate of the firstposition is positive or negative (that is, according to the direction ofthe x axis direction component of the first input vector). Then, thecontrol unit 13 moves the first object 23 relatively to the field object16 in the determined direction at the determined moving speed.

In the present embodiment, when the direction of the x axis directioncomponent of the first input vector is an +x direction, the control unit13 determines the +Xw direction of the world coordinate system as themoving direction of the first object 23. Then, the control unit 13 movesthe field object 16 in the virtual space in parallel to the −Xwdirection without substantially moving the first object 23 in thevirtual space. On the other hand, when the direction of the x axisdirection component of the first input vector is an −x direction, thecontrol unit 13 determines the −Xw direction of the world coordinatesystem as the moving direction of the first object 23. Then, the controlunit 13 moves the field object 16 in the virtual space in parallel tothe +Xw direction without substantially moving the first object 23 inthe virtual space.

Here, the operation of the control unit 13 will be specificallydescribed with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. For example, the control unit13 detects the first and second positions while the first user operationis being detected in the state in which the field screen illustrated inFIG. 5 is displayed on the display unit 12. For example, when a secondposition 30 is positioned at the left upper side of a first position 29on the field screen as illustrated in FIG. 6, a direction of the x axisdirection component of the first input vector 31 is an −x direction.Thus, the control unit 13 moves the field object 16 in the virtual spacein parallel to the +Xw direction without substantially moving the firstobject 23 in the virtual space. At this time, on the field screen, forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the position (screen coordinates) ofthe first object 23 does not substantially change, and the display isperformed such that the field object 16 and the background object 25displayed on the field region 27 and the background region 28 flowtoward the right direction (the +x direction) of the screen.

Preferably, when the end of the first user operation (for example, anoperation in which the user who perform the swipe operation takes thefinger off the display unit 12) is detected, the control unit 13 movesthe first object 23 in the Xw axis direction while changing the movingspeed of the first object 23. In the present embodiment, when the end ofthe first user operation is detected, the control unit 13 moves thefirst object 23 while reducing the moving speed of the first object at apredetermined time rate of change. Through this configuration, even whenthe user takes the finger off the display unit 12, the first object 23continuously moves in the Xw axis direction at the reduced speed, andthus an operation burden on the user who desires to cause the firstobject 23 to move a relatively long distance along the horizontal path19 can be reduced, and the operability of the game is improved.

Here, the time rate of change of the moving speed of the first object 23may be a constant or may be calculated by the control unit 13. Forexample, the control unit 13 may calculate the time rate of changeaccording to the moving speed of the first object 23 so that the timerate of change increases or decreases as the moving speed of the firstobject 23 increases. For example, a predetermined parameter indicating acharacteristic of the first game content such as a weight or rapidity isset in the first object 23, and the control unit 13 may calculate thetime rate of change according to the parameter so that the time rate ofchange of the moving speed of the first object 23 increases or decreasesas the parameter increases. For example, a predetermined parameterindicating a state of the ground surface such as asphalt or mire is setin some regions on the field object 16, and the control unit 13 maycalculate the time rate of change of the moving speed of the firstobject 23 according to the parameter.

Preferably, when a predetermined user operation (a second useroperation) on the field screen is detected while the first object 23 isbeing moved while changing the moving speed as described above, thecontrol unit 13 sets a predetermined value as the moving speed of thefirst object 23. In the present embodiment, the control unit 13 sets themoving speed of the first object 23 to zero as the second user operationis detected. Here, the second user operation is, for example, the tapoperation performed at an arbitrary position on the field screen, butthe second user operation may be, for example, an arbitrary useroperation such as the multi-tap operation. Through this configuration,as described above, the user can change the moving speed of the firstobject 23 that moves in the Xw axis direction to a predetermined valueat an arbitrary timing while changing the moving speed (for example, theuser can stop the first object 23), and the operability of the game isimproved.

Next, an operation of the control unit 13 for moving the first object 23relatively to the field object 16 in a direction substantially parallelto the Yw-Zw plane (a second plane) of the virtual space will bedescribed. In the present embodiment, the first object 23 moves thefirst object 23 relatively to the field object 16 in a Yw axis directionof the virtual space. Here, the moving in the Yw axis directionindicates that the Yw axis direction component of the moving speed ofthe first object 23 is larger than zero.

Initially, the control unit 13 determines whether or not the firstobject 23 is positioned within a predetermined region 32 nearby thevertical path 20. When the first object 23 is determined to bepositioned within the region 32, the control unit 13 determines whetheror not a predetermined condition (a first condition) related to a changein the second position according to the detected first user operation issatisfied.

In the present embodiment, the first condition is a condition that anabsolute value of the y axis direction component of the distance betweenthe second position before the change and the second position after thechange, that is, an absolute value of the y axis direction component ofthe position vector (a second input vector) of the second position afterthe change having the second position before the change as the referencepoint is a predetermined threshold value or more or a condition that anabsolute value of the y axis direction component of the change speed ofthe second position changing according to the first user operation (thatis, the magnitude of the y axis direction component of the speed vectorof the second position) is a predetermined threshold value or more.

Preferably, the first condition further includes a condition that, whenthe vertical path 20 corresponding to the region 32 is positioned in the−Yw direction relative to the first object 23 (for example, when thevertical path 20 extends toward the depth side on the field screen), avalue obtained by subtracting a y coordinate of the second positionafter the change from a y coordinate of the second position before thechange is negative (that is, a direction of the y axis directioncomponent of the second input vector is a −y direction). Preferably, thefirst condition further includes a condition that, when the verticalpath 20 corresponding to the region 32 is positioned in a +Yw directionrelative to the first object 23 (for example, when the vertical path 20extends toward the front side on the field screen), a value obtained bysubtracting the y coordinate of the second position after the changefrom the y coordinate of the second position before the change ispositive (that is, the direction of the y axis direction component ofthe second input vector is a +y direction).

When the first condition is determined to be satisfied, the control unit13 moves the first object 23 relatively to the field object 16 in thedirection substantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane of the virtual spacein the virtual space by a predetermined distance. Specifically, thecontrol unit 13 lets the field object 16 to slide in the virtual spaceby a predetermined distance without substantially moving the firstobject 23 in the virtual space. When the field object 16 slides, an apexexisting on a plane substantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane among aplurality of apexes on the field object 16 moves along a predeterminedtrajectory on the plane. Here, a shape of the predetermined trajectoryis substantially identical to a shape in which the cross-sectional shapeof the field object 16 extends in the plane substantially parallel tothe Yw-Zw plane. Thus, for example, in FIG. 8, when the field object 16slides, each of the apexes A to F of the field object 16 in the planesubstantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane moves to slide along thecross-sectional shape of the field object 16. In other words, thecontrol unit 13 moves the field object 16 while changing the shape ofthe field object 16. The predetermined distance is, for example, alength of the vertical path 20 in the longitudinal direction (the Ywaxis direction in the present embodiment).

Preferably, the control unit 13 performs control such that the imageprojection plane of each of the first object 23, the second object 24,and the background object 25 satisfies the above-described condition forthe optical axis 22 of the virtual camera 21 while the field object 16is sliding (for example, such that the image projection plane issubstantially vertical to the optical axis 22). Specifically, thecontrol unit 13 performs control such that the projection plane of thefirst object 23 is substantially vertical to the optical axis 22 bychanging, for example, an angle formed between the first object 23 andthe field object 16 while causing the field object 16 to slide. Throughthis configuration, even when the field object 16 slides, the firstobject 23, the second object 24, and the background object 25 aredisplayed on the field screen to be substantially in parallel to thefield screen (that is, so that the object projection plane faces thescreen direction), and thus visibility of the field screen is improved.

Here, the operation of the control unit 13 will be specificallydescribed with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. For example, the control unit13 detects the change in the second position according to the first useroperation in the state in which the field screen illustrated in FIG. 7is displayed on the display unit 12. Here, the first object 23 ispositioned within the predetermined region 32 nearby the vertical path20 positioned at the −Yw side of the world coordinate system relative tothe first object 23. As illustrated in FIG. 9, a second position 33after the change is assumed to be positioned at the left upper side of asecond position 30 before the change, and the first condition related tothe change in the second position is assumed to be satisfied.

In this case, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23 in the −Ywdirection in the virtual space by a predetermined distance.Specifically, the control unit 13 causes the field object 16 to move inthe virtual space in the +Yw direction by the length of the verticalpath 20 in the longitudinal direction without substantially moving thefirst object 23 in the virtual space (see FIG. 8). At this time, on thefield screen, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the position (thescreen coordinates) of the first object 23 does not substantiallychange, and the field object 16 slides toward the front side of thescreen, and, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the first object 23moves up to another horizontal path 19 b.

As a result, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23 on the fieldobject 16 relatively to the field object 16 in the virtual spaceaccording to the user operation on the field screen.

The control unit 13 performs a process that differs according to theposition of the first object 23 on the field object 16. For example,different regions (a first specific region and a second specific region)that are consecutive (adjacent) to each other in the Xo axis direction(which is identical to the Xw axis direction in the present embodiment)are set in the field object 16. The first object 23 is movable betweenthe first specific region and the second specific region seamlessly (forexample, without switching or turned off a display of the field screen).For example, the first specific region corresponds to the inside of avirtual town in a game, and the second specific region corresponds tothe outside of the town. In this case, when the first object 23 stays inthe first specific region, for example, the control unit 13 performs aprocess such as a conversation between the first object 23 (the usercharacter) and the second object 24 (for example, an NPC serving as aresident on a street). On the other hand, when the first object 23 staysin the second specific region, for example, the control unit 13 performsa process such as a battle between the first object 23 (the usercharacter) and the enemy character. For example, when the first object23 stays in the first specific region, the control unit 13 may causedifferent music data (BGM) to be reproduced from when the first object23 stays in the second specific region.

Next, an operation of the information processing apparatus 10 will bedescribed with reference to a flowchart illustrated in FIG. 12. Thepresent operation is performed, for example, in a state in which thefield screen is displayed while the first game part is being executed.

Step S100: First, the control unit 13 is on standby for detection of thefirst user operation on the field screen. The first user operation is,for example, the swipe operation. When the first user operation isdetected (Yes in step S100), the process proceeds to step S101.

Step S101: Then, the control unit 13 detects the first position on thefield screen according to the first user operation. The first positionis, for example, the position (the screen coordinates) on the fieldscreen which is initially designated by the swipe operation.

Step S102: Then, the control unit 13 detects the second position on thefield screen according to the first user operation. The second positionis, for example, the position (the screen coordinates) on the fieldscreen which is currently designated by the swipe operation.

Step S103: Then, the control unit 13 performs the process of moving thefirst object 23 in the direction substantially parallel to the Xw-Zwplane based on the first and second positions. This process will bedescribed later in detail.

Step S104: Then, the control unit 13 performs the process of moving thefirst object 23 in the direction substantially parallel to the Yw-Zwplane according to the change in the second position. This process willbe described later in detail.

Step S105: Then, the control unit 13 determines whether or not the endof the first user operation has been detected. When the end of the firstuser operation is determined to have been detected (Yes in step S105),the process proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, when the end ofthe first user operation is determined not to have been detected (No instep S105), the process returns to step S102.

Step S106: when the end of the first user operation is determined tohave been detected in step S105 (Yes in step S105), the control unit 13moves the first object 23 in the Xw axis direction while changing (forexample, reducing) the moving speed of the first object 23.

Step S107: Then, the control unit 13 determines whether or not thesecond user operation has been detected. The second user operation is,for example, the tap operation performed at an arbitrary position on thefield screen. When the second user operation is determined to have beendetected (Yes in step S107), the process proceeds to step S108. On theother hand, when the second user operation is determined not to havebeen detected (No in step S107), the process proceeds to step S109.

Step S108: when the second user operation is determined to have beendetected in step S107 (Yes in step S107), the control unit 13 sets themoving speed of the first object 23 to a predetermined value (forexample, zero).

Step S109: when the second user operation is determined not to have beendetected in step S107 (No in step S107), or after step S108, the controlunit 13 determines whether or not the first user operation has beennewly detected. When the first user operation is determined to have beennewly detected (Yes in step S109), the process returns to step S101. Onthe other hand, when the first user operation is determined not to havebeen newly detected (No in step S109), the process returns to step S106.

Next, the movement process in the direction substantially parallel tothe Xw-Zw plane (step S103) will be described in detail with referenceto a flowchart illustrated in FIG. 13.

Step S200: First, the control unit 13 determines the moving speed andthe moving direction of the first object 23 based on the first andsecond positions according to the first user operation. Specifically,the control unit 13 determines the moving speed of the first object 23according to the x axis direction component of the distance between thefirst position and the second position (the absolute value of the x axisdirection component of the first input vector). The control unit 13determines the +Xw direction or the −Xw direction as the movingdirection of the first object 23 according to whether the value obtainedby subtracting an x coordinate of the second position from an xcoordinate of the first position is positive or negative (according tothe direction of the x axis direction component of the first inputvector).

Step S201: Then, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23relatively to the field object 16 in the Xw axis direction of the worldcoordinate system. Here, the moving speed and the moving direction ofthe first object 23 are the moving speed and the moving directiondetermined in step S200. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S104(see FIG. 12).

Next, the movement process in the direction substantially parallel tothe Yw-Zw plane (step S105) will be described in detail with referenceto a flowchart illustrated in FIG. 14.

Step S300: First, the control unit 13 determines whether or not thefirst object 23 is positioned in the predetermined region 32 nearby thevertical path 20. When the first object 23 is determined to bepositioned in the region 32 (Yes in step S300), the process proceeds tostep S301. On the other hand, when the first object 23 is determined notto be positioned in the region 32 (No in step S300), the processproceeds to step S105 (see FIG. 12).

Step S301: when the first object 23 is determined to be positioned inthe region 32 in step S300 (Yes in step S300), the control unit 13determines whether or not the first condition related to the change inthe second position according to the first user operation has beensatisfied. When the first condition is determined to be satisfied (Yesin step S301), the process proceeds to step S302. On the other hand,when the first condition is determined not to have been satisfied (No instep S301), the process proceeds to step S105 (see FIG. 12).

Step S302: when the first condition is determined to be satisfied instep S301 (Yes in step S301), the control unit 13 moves the first object23 relatively to the field object 16 in the direction substantiallyparallel to the Yw-Zw plane in the virtual space by a predetermineddistance. Here, the predetermined distance is, for example, the lengthof the vertical path 20 in the longitudinal direction (the Yw axisdirection in the present embodiment).

As described above, the information processing apparatus 10 according tothe present embodiment moves the first object 23 relatively to the fieldobject 16. Here, the field object 16 includes an inclined portion thathas a shape in which the cross-sectional shape in the planesubstantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane (the first plane) extends inthe Xw axis (first axis) direction in the state in which it is arrangedin the virtual space and is inclined downwards when viewed from thevirtual camera 21 as it get away in the direction of the optical axis 22of the virtual camera 21. Through this configuration, as will bedescribed below, the visibility of the field screen can be improved, andthe field screen suitable for the information processing apparatus 10equipped with a display unit d12 having a limited screen size such as asmart phone can be implemented.

For example, in a display apparatus with which the smart phone,commonly, dimensions in the horizontal direction and the verticaldirection are different, and its screen size is relatively small. Forthis reason, for example, in a field screen in which a flat field islooked down from the above, a field is displayed only within a range ofa relatively small display region in the short direction of the screen.On the other hand, according to the information processing apparatus 10,at least a part of the inclined portion of the field object 16 isdisplayed as a field that is spread on the field screen in a depthdirection. In other words, since the display is performed in the statein which at least a part of the inclined portion is distorted(compressed) in the short direction of the field screen, the range ofthe field that is displayed on the screen at a time is increased, andthus the visibility of the field screen is improved. The field object 16has the shape in which it extends in the longitudinal direction (thehorizontal direction) of the field screen. Thus, the distortion of thefield object 16 displayed on the field screen in the longitudinaldirection of the screen is reduced, and the visibility of the fieldscreen is improved.

Further, when the first object 23 is moved in the directionsubstantially parallel to the Xw-Zw plane (the second plane), theinformation processing apparatus 10 moves the field object 16 inparallel to the Xw axis (first axis) direction. Further, when the firstobject 23 is moved in the direction substantially parallel to the Yw-Zwplane (the first plane), the information processing apparatus 10 movesthe field object 16 in the direction substantially parallel to the Yw-Zwplane in a different form from parallel translation. Through thisconfiguration, when the first object 23 is moved in the short directionof the field screen, different visual effects are implemented from whenthe first object 23 is moved in the longitudinal direction of the fieldscreen, and expansion of the field in the depth direction of the fieldscreen can be displayed, and thus the visibility of the field screen isimproved to be higher than, for example, a configuration in which thescreen is scrolled in both the horizontal direction and the verticaldirection and displayed.

The information processing apparatus 10 performs control such that theimage projection planes of the first object 23 and the second object 24satisfy a predetermined condition for the optical axis 22 of the virtualcamera 21. Through this configuration, the first object 23 and thesecond object 24 are displayed on the field screen in substantiallyparallel to the field screen, and thus the visibility of the fieldscreen is further improved.

The field object 16 includes the first portion 17 and the second portion18 extending from the end portion of the first portion 17. Through thisconfiguration, for example, the field is displayed to be relativelylarge at the front side of the field screen, and the field is compressedin the vertical direction through the second portion 18 and displayed atthe depth side, and thus the field screen suitable for the display unit12 having the limited display region can be implemented.

The field object 16 includes the first specific region and the secondspecific region that are consecutive in the Xw axis direction in thestate in which it is arranged in the virtual space. When the firstobject 23 stays in the first specific region, the information processingapparatus 10 performs a different process from when the first object 23stays in the second specific region. Through this configuration, thefirst object 23 (the user character) can seamlessly enter or leave, forexample, a town. Thus, for example, compared to a configuration in whicha screen display is switched when an object enter or leave a town, theoccurrence of a uncomfortable feeling about an expression when thescreen is switched is suppressed, and the occurrence of a standby timeuntil the screen is switched is suppressed. As described above, the usercan have experience of perceiving continuity of the field in the game.

The information processing apparatus 10 according to the presentembodiment detects the first and second positions while the first useroperation is being detected. The information processing apparatus 10moves the first object 23 in the direction substantially parallel to theXw-Zw plane (the first plane) based on both of the first and secondpositions, and moves the first object 23 in the direction substantiallyparallel to the Yw-Zw plane (the second plane) according to the changein the second position. As described above, information used for themovement in the direction substantially parallel to the first planeamong the information detected according to the first user operation isdifferent from information used for the movement in the directionsubstantially parallel to the second plane. Through this configuration,for example, when the user moves the first object 23 in the directionsubstantially parallel to the first plane, the first object 23 issuppressed from moving in a direction that is not intended by the user,for example, the first object 23 is suppressed from moving in thedirection substantially parallel to the second plane, for example, dueto the delicate position deviation of the first user operation, and thusthe operability of the game is improved.

Further, when the end of the first user operation is detected, theinformation processing apparatus 10 moves the first object 23 in the Xwaxis direction while changing (for example, reducing) the moving speedof the first object 23. Through this configuration, even when the usertakes the finger off the display unit 12, the first object 23continuously moves in the Xw axis direction at the reduced speed, andthus an operation burden on the user who desires to cause the firstobject 23 to move a relatively long distance along the horizontal path19 can be reduced, and the operability of the game is further improved.

Further, when the second user operation is detected while the firstobject 23 is being moved while changing the moving speed of the firstobject 23, the information processing apparatus 10 sets a predeterminedvalue (for example, zero) as the moving speed of the first object 23.Through this configuration, as described above, the user can change themoving speed of the first object 23 moving in the Xw axis directionwhile changing the moving speed to a predetermined value at an arbitrarytiming (for example, the user can stop the first object 23), and thusthe operability of the game is further improved.

The invention has been described based on the drawings and the exemplaryembodiment, but it will be appreciated that those having skill in theart can easily make various modification or corrections based on thepresent disclosure. Thus, it will be appreciated that such modificationor corrections are included in the scope of the invention. For example,respective units or functions included in respective steps may berearranged unless there is logically a contradiction, and a plurality ofunits or steps may be combined into one unit or step, or one unit orstep may be divided into a plurality of units or steps.

For example, when the change in the second position is detectedaccording to the first user operation while the first object 23 is beingmoved in the Xw axis direction according to the first user operation,the control unit 13 may set the moving speed of the first object 23 to apredetermined value (for example, zero) and determine that the end ofthe first user operation has been detected when the change speed of thesecond position (that is, the magnitude of the speed vector of thesecond position) is a predetermined threshold value or more. Throughthis configuration, the user who performs the first user operation canchange the speed of the first object 23 to a predetermined value througha simple operation of moving the finger contacting with the display unit12 rapidly, for example, while the first object 23 is being moved in theXw axis direction at a relatively high speed. Thus, the operability ofthe game is further improved.

Alternatively, when the change speed of the second position is apredetermined threshold value or more, the control unit 13 may performany other operation other than an operation of moving the first object23 such as a predetermined action such as a jump. Through thisconfiguration, for example, when an obstacle (the game content) such asa rock or a trap exists on the horizontal path 19, the user who performsthe first user operation can operate the first object 23 to jump over anobstacle without ending the first user operation (for example, withouttaking the finger off the display unit 12). Thus, the operability of thegame is further improved, and an action property of the game is formed,and thus the interest of the game is improved.

For example, when the first object 23 is moved in the Yw axis directionwhile the first user operation is being detected (that is, withoutdetecting the end of the first user operation), the control unit 13 mayautomatically update the screen coordinates of the first positiondetected according to the detection of the first user operation, forexample, from the screen coordinates of the position on the field screenthat is initially designated by the swipe operation to other screencoordinates.

Specifically, when the change in the second position according to thefirst user operation is detected while the first object 23 is beingmoved in the Yw axis direction in the state in which the first useroperation is detected (for example, in the state in which the fieldscreen illustrated in FIG. 10 is displayed on the display unit 12), thecontrol unit 13 sets the screen coordinates of the second positionbefore the change as new screen coordinates of the first position.

Preferably, for example, when the direction (the −y direction in FIG.15(a)) of the y axis direction component of a position vector 34 of thesecond position 33 before the change having the first position 29 as thereference point is different from the direction (the +y direction inFIG. 15(a)) of the y axis direction component of a position vector 36(that is, the second input vector) of a second position 35 after thechange having the second position 33 before the change as the referencepoint as illustrated in FIG. 15(a), the control unit 13 sets the secondposition 33 before the change as a new first position 37 as illustratedin FIG. 15(b).

Through this configuration, for example, the user can move the firstobject 23 in an arbitrary direction along the Xw axis after moving thefirst object 23 up to another horizontal path 19 b by causing the fingercontacting with the display unit 12 to move a relatively short distancewhile the first object 23 is being moved along the vertical path 20.Specifically, for example, when the user desires to move the firstobject 23 in the −Xw direction in the horizontal path 19 a at the frontside, move the first object 23 in the −Yw direction along the verticalpath 20 (see FIG. 10), and then move the first object 23 in the +Xwdirection in another horizontal path 19 b (see FIG. 11) as illustratedin FIG. 7, it is unnecessary to move the finger up to the +y sidefurther than the first position 29, for example, as illustrated in FIG.15(a). Thus, a complication of the user movement operation is reduced.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the first object 23is moved relatively to the field object 16 in the directionsubstantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane of the virtual space accordingto whether or not the first condition related to the change in thesecond position according to the first user operation is satisfied hasbeen described, but the first object 23 may be moved in the directionsubstantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane of the virtual space based onboth of the first and second positions according to the first useroperation.

Specifically, first, the control unit 13 determines whether or not thefirst object 23 is positioned in the predetermined region 32 nearby thevertical path 20. When the first object 23 is determined to bepositioned in the region 32, the control unit 13 detects the first useroperation and the first and second positions according to the first useroperation. Then, the control unit 13 determines the moving speed of thefirst object 23 in the direction substantially parallel to the Yw-Zwplane according to the y axis direction component of the distancebetween the first position and the second position (that is, theabsolute value of the y axis direction component of the first inputvector). For example, as the y axis direction component of the distancebetween the first position and the second position increases, the movingspeed of the first object 23 in the direction substantially parallel tothe Yw-Zw plane increases. Here, when the first object 23 is moved atthe determined moving speed, the first object 23 may be acceleratedusing the determined moving speed as an upper limit. The moving speed ofthe first object 23 in the direction substantially parallel to the Yw-Zwplane may change continuously or stepwise according to the y axisdirection component of the distance between the first position and thesecond position.

Preferably, the control unit 13 determines whether or not the y axisdirection component of the distance between the first position and thesecond position is a predetermined threshold value or more. When the yaxis direction component of the distance between the first position andthe second position is determined to be the predetermined thresholdvalue or more, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23 in thedirection substantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane. On the other hand,when the y axis direction component of the distance between the firstposition and the second position is determined to be less than thethreshold value, the control unit 13 sets the moving speed of the firstobject 23 in the direction substantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane tozero.

Preferably, the moving speed of the first object 23 along the Xw axis (amoving speed Xw) when the x axis direction component of the distancebetween the first position and the second position is a predeterminedvalue (a specific value) is different from the moving speed of the firstobject 23 (a moving speed Yw) in the direction substantially parallel tothe Yw-Zw plane when the y axis direction component of the distancebetween the first position and the second position is the specificvalue. As described above, the control unit 13 determines the movingspeed Xw and the moving speed Yw using different algorithms using thefirst and second positions according to the first user operation.

Here, as described above, since the display unit 12 has the longitudinaldirection (for example, the horizontal direction) and the shortdirection (for example, the vertical direction), the length (size) ofthe operation region on the screen in the longitudinal direction isdifferent from that in the short direction. Here, commonly, in the touchpanel, the detection pitch in the horizontal direction is equal to thatin the vertical direction. Thus, the number of points at which the useroperation can be detected in the short direction of the screen issmaller than the number of points at which the user operation can bedetected in the longitudinal direction of the screen. Thus, for example,in a configuration in which an algorithm of determining the moving speedXw of the first object 23 is the same as an algorithm of determining themoving speed Yw, the operability of the game in the operation region inthe short direction is lower than that in the operation region in thelongitudinal direction. On the other hand, since the control unit 13determines the moving speed Xw and the moving speed Yw through thedifferent algorithms using the first and second positions, as describedabove, in the configuration in which the length (the size) of theoperation region in the longitudinal direction of the field screen isdifferent from the length (the size) of the operation region in theshort direction, the operability of the game in the operation region inthe short direction can be further improved.

For example, the moving speed Yw when the y axis direction component isa specific value is set to be smaller or larger than the moving speed Xwwhen the x axis direction component is a specific value. Preferably,when the y axis direction is the short direction, the moving speed Yw isset to be larger than the moving speed Xw. Here, the specific value maybe an arbitrary value that the y axis direction component (the shortdirection component) of the distance between the first position and thesecond position can have.

Specifically, in the case of the configuration in which the moving speedXw and the moving speed Yw of the first object change continuouslyaccording to the x axis direction component and the y axis directioncomponent of the distance between the first position and the secondposition, a change rate of the moving speed Yw for the y axis directioncomponent of the distance between the first position and the secondposition is smaller or larger than a change rate of the moving speed Xwfor the x axis direction component of the distance between the firstposition and the second position.

Specifically, in the case of the configuration in which the moving speedXw and the moving speed Yw of the first object 23 change stepwiseaccording to the x axis direction component and the y axis directioncomponent of the distance between the first position and the secondposition, the number of steps of the moving speed Xw may be differentfrom the number of steps of the moving speed Yw. For example, thecontrol unit 13 determines a speed value of a step corresponding to thex axis direction component of the distance between the first positionand the second position among speed values of n steps (2<n) as themoving speed Xw. The control unit 13 determines a speed value of a stepcorresponding to the y axis direction component of the distance betweenthe first position and the second position among speed values of m steps(1<m<n) as the moving speed Yw. Here, the speed values corresponding torespective steps may be set at equal intervals (for example, 0, 5, 10, .. . ) or at different intervals (for example, 0, 1, 5, 15, . . . ).Ranges of the axis direction components of the moving speedscorresponding to respective steps may be set to be the same value (forexample, 5 pixels) or different values (for example, 5 pixels and 10pixels).

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the moving speed Xwof the first object 23 is changed according to the end of the first useroperation has been described above, but the moving speed Yw may bechanged similarly. Specifically, when the end of the first useroperation is detected, the control unit 13 moves the first object 23while changing at least one of the moving speed Xw and the moving speedYw of the first object 23.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which when the firstobject 23 is moved relatively to the field object 16, the field object16 is moved without substantially moving the first object 23 has beendescribed above, but, for example, the first object 23 may be movedwithout substantially moving the field object 16. In this configuration,the control unit 13 moves the virtual camera 21 according to themovement of the first object 23 so that a relative position relationbetween the virtual camera 21 and the first object 23 is maintained.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the field object 16arranged in the three dimensional virtual space is used as the field(the ground surface) has been described above, but, for example, a twodimensional virtual space may be used. In this case, all of the field,the first game content, the second game content, and the background maybe configured with a two dimensional image.

The game according to the above embodiment has been described as being arole playing game or a simulation game, but the invention can be appliedto games of various genres in which the game content is moved on thefield in the game.

The information processing apparatus 10 may be able to communicate witha server apparatus, for example, via the Internet. In thisconfiguration, the information processing apparatus 10 acquires anotherfield image (for example, an image of a field indicating an inside of acave or a building) from a server apparatus when the first object 23 ismoved up to a predetermined position (for example, an entrance of a caveor a building) on the field. Then, the information processing apparatus10 projects another field image received from the server apparatus ontoother field object that is newly generated (defined) and arranges thefirst object 23 on the other field object. Through this configuration, avariation in the field is increased, and the interest of the game isimproved, compared to the configuration using only the field imagestored in the information processing apparatus 10.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the field object 16includes the first portion 17 and the second portion 18 has beendescribed above, but the shape of the field object 16 is not limitedthereto. A field object 160 according to a modified example of theembodiment has a cylindrical shape extending in the Xo axis direction inthe object coordinate system, and, similarly to the above embodiment,the field object 160 includes an inclined portion that is inclineddownwards when viewed from the virtual camera 21 as it gets away in thedirection of the optical axis 22 of the virtual camera 21 in the statein which it is arranged in the virtual space. Specifically, the fieldobject 160 has a square tube shape or substantially a cylindrical shapethat is rotationally symmetric with respect to the Xo axis or has asquare tube shape or a substantially cylindrical shape that isrotationally asymmetric with respect to the Xo axis. For example, FIG.16 is a cross-sectional diagram obtained by cutting the field object 160along the plane substantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane in a state inwhich the field object 160 having the square tube shape that isrotationally symmetric with respect to the Xo axis is arranged in thevirtual space, similarly to the above embodiment. In FIG. 16, forexample, object elements CD and DE correspond to the inclined portion.

In a configuration employing the field object 160, when the firstcondition is determined to be satisfied, the control unit 13 moves thefirst object 23 relatively to the field object 160 in the directionsubstantially parallel to the Yw-Zw plane of the virtual space in thevirtual space by a predetermined distance. Specifically, the controlunit 13 causes the field object 160 to rotate around the Xw axis in thevirtual space without substantially moving the first object 23 in thevirtual space. When the field object 16 rotates, each apex existing on aplane parallel to the Yw-Zw plane among a plurality of apexes on thefield object 16 moves on the plane along a trajectory of a concentriccircle having the Xw axis as the center.

In the above embodiment, a web display in which some of various kinds ofgame screens are displayed on the information processing apparatus 10based on data generated by the server apparatus capable of communicatingwith the information processing apparatus 10 may be performed, or anative display in which some game screens (for example, a header regionand a footer region in which a menu button is arranged) is displayed bya native application installed in the information processing apparatus10 may be performed. As described above, the game according to the aboveembodiment may be a hybrid game in which each of the informationprocessing apparatus 10 and the server apparatus undertakes a part of aprocess.

An apparatus capable of performing information processing such as acomputer or a mobile phone in order to function as the informationprocessing apparatus 10 according to the above embodiment can besuitably used. The apparatus can be implemented by storing a program inwhich processing content for implementing the respective functions ofthe information processing apparatus 10 according to the embodiment isdescribed in a storage unit of the apparatus and reading and executingthe program through a CPU of the apparatus.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

-   10 information processing apparatus-   11 storage unit-   12 display unit-   13 control unit-   14 first region-   15 second region-   16, 160 field object-   17 first portion-   18 second portion-   19, 19 a, 19 b horizontal path-   20 vertical path-   21 virtual camera-   22 optical axis-   23 first object-   24 second object-   25 background object-   26 field of view-   27 field region-   28 background region-   29 first position-   30 second position-   31 first input vector-   32 region-   33 second position-   34 position vector-   35 second position-   36 position vector-   37 first position

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer-readable mediumcomprising computer program code which, when executed, cause aninformation processing apparatus that executes a game to carry out thesteps comprising: a step of causing an object arranged on a field objectin a virtual space in which a world coordinate system having a firstaxis and a second axis is set to be displayed on a screen in which ascreen coordinate system having a third axis and a fourth axis is set; astep of detecting a first user operation; a step of detecting first andsecond positions on the screen according to the first user operationwhile the first user operation is being detected; a first moving step ofmoving the object relatively to the object in the virtual spaceaccording to the detected first user operation, wherein a speed and adirection of moving the object in the first moving step are determinedbased on a distance between the first position and the second position;a second moving step of moving the object while changing at least one ofthe first speed component and the second speed component of the objectwhen an end of the first user operation is detected; and an interactingstep of determining when the object has been arranged in a first area ofthe field object proximate to a second object, and, when the object hasbeen arranged in the first area, initiating a first gameplay interactionbetween the object and the second object.
 2. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the interactingstep further comprises: determining when the object has been arranged ina second area of the field object proximate to a third object, and, whenthe object has been arranged in the second area, initiating a secondgameplay interaction between the object and the third object, whereinthe second gameplay interaction is different from the first gameplayinteraction.
 3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according toclaim 1, wherein the interacting step further comprises executing atleast one of a conversation between the object and the second object ora battle between the object and the second object.
 4. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein in the firstmoving step, a first speed component serving as a first axis directioncomponent of a moving speed of the object is set according to a thirdaxis direction component of a distance between the first position andthe second position, and a second speed component serving as a secondaxis direction component of the moving speed of the object is setaccording to a fourth axis direction component of a distance between thefirst position and the second position; and causing the object toperform a predetermined action when the screen coordinates of the secondposition are changed according to the first user operation, and thechange speed of the second position is a predetermined threshold valueor more.
 5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according toclaim 4, wherein the predetermined action does not end the first movingstep.
 6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim1, wherein the field object comprises: a plurality of object elements,the plurality of object elements forming a planar shape in a planeformed by the first axis and the second axis, wherein the planar shapehas a substantially curved surface in a plane formed by the second axisand a fifth axis in the virtual space and sloping downward in the fifthaxis direction; and a plurality of paths, the plurality of pathsdisposed on the surface of the planar shape and comprising a pluralityof first direction paths oriented in a direction parallel to the planeformed by the second axis and the fifth axis, and a plurality of seconddirection paths oriented in a direction perpendicular to the planeformed by the second axis and the fifth axis.
 7. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 6, wherein the step ofcausing the object arranged on the field object to be displayedcomprises: arranging the object on the gameplay field on at least one ofthe plurality of paths; arranging a background object on the gameplayfield on the last element; and projecting a background image onto thebackground object in virtual space.
 8. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the step ofcausing the object arranged on the field object to be displayedcomprises: arranging the object on the gameplay field on at least one ofa plurality of paths; arranging a background object on the gameplayfield on an object element; and projecting a background image onto thebackground object in virtual space.
 9. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium according to claim 1, further comprising: astep of generating a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space; andpositioning the virtual camera in a positive position on the fifth axissuch that the field object is provided between the virtual camera and aportion of the background object.
 10. A game control method performed byan information processing apparatus, comprising: causing an objectarranged on a field object in a virtual space in which a worldcoordinate system having a first axis and a second axis is set to bedisplayed on a screen in which a screen coordinate system having a thirdaxis and a fourth axis is set; detecting a first user operation;detecting first and second positions on the screen according to thefirst user operation while the first user operation is being detected;moving the object relatively to the object in the virtual spaceaccording to the detected first user operation, wherein a speed and adirection of moving the object in the first moving step are determinedbased on a distance between the first position and the second position;moving the object while changing at least one of the first speedcomponent and the second speed component of the object when an end ofthe first user operation is detected; and determining when the objecthas been arranged in a first area of the field object proximate to asecond object, and, when the object has been arranged in the first area,initiating a first gameplay interaction between the object and thesecond object.
 11. The game control method according to claim 10,further comprising: determining when the object has been arranged in asecond area of the field object proximate to a third object, and, whenthe object has been arranged in the second area, initiating a secondgameplay interaction between the object and the third object, whereinthe second gameplay interaction is different from the first gameplayinteraction.
 12. The game control method according to claim 10, furthercomprising executing at least one of a conversation between the objectand the second object or a battle between the object and the secondobject.
 13. The game control method according to claim 10, wherein afirst speed component serving as a first axis direction component of amoving speed of the object is set according to a third axis directioncomponent of a distance between the first position and the secondposition, and a second speed component serving as a second axisdirection component of the moving speed of the object is set accordingto a fourth axis direction component of a distance between the firstposition and the second position; and wherein the method furthercomprises: causing the object to perform a predetermined action when thescreen coordinates of the second position are changed according to thefirst user operation, and the change speed of the second position is apredetermined threshold value or more.
 14. The game control methodaccording to claim 10, wherein the predetermined action does not end amovement of the object caused by the first user operation.
 15. The gamecontrol method according to claim 10, wherein the field objectcomprises: a plurality of object elements, the plurality of objectelements forming a planar shape in a plane formed by the first axis andthe second axis, wherein the planar shape has a substantially curvedsurface in a plane formed by the second axis and a fifth axis in thevirtual space and sloping downward in the fifth axis direction; and aplurality of paths, the plurality of paths disposed on the surface ofthe planar shape and comprising a plurality of first direction pathsoriented in a direction parallel to the plane formed by the second axisand the fifth axis, and a plurality of second direction paths orientedin a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the second axis andthe fifth axis.
 16. The game control method according to claim 15,wherein causing the object arranged on the field object to be displayedcomprises: arranging the object on the gameplay field on at least one ofthe plurality of paths; arranging a background object on the gameplayfield on the last element; and projecting a background image onto thebackground object in virtual space.
 17. The game control methodaccording to claim 10, wherein causing the object arranged on the fieldobject to be displayed comprises: arranging the object on the gameplayfield on at least one of a plurality of paths; arranging a backgroundobject on the gameplay field on an object element; and projecting abackground image onto the background object in virtual space.
 18. Thegame control method according to claim 10, further comprising:generating a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space; andpositioning the virtual camera in a positive position on the fifth axissuch that the field object is provided between the virtual camera and aportion of the background object.
 19. An information processingapparatus that executes a game, comprising: a display unit that displaysa screen; and a control unit, wherein the control unit: causes an objectarranged on a field object in a virtual space in which a worldcoordinate system having a first axis and a second axis is set to bedisplayed on a screen in which a screen coordinate system having a thirdaxis and a fourth axis is set; detects a first user operation; detectsfirst and second positions on the screen according to the first useroperation while the first user operation is being detected; moves theobject relatively to the object in the virtual space according to thedetected first user operation, wherein a speed and a direction of movingthe object in the first moving step are determined based on a distancebetween the first position and the second position; moves the objectwhile changing at least one of the first speed component and the secondspeed component of the object when an end of the first user operation isdetected; and determines when the object has been arranged in a firstarea of the field object proximate to a second object, and, when theobject has been arranged in the first area, initiates a first gameplayinteraction between the object and the second object.
 20. Theinformation processing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the control unitfurther determines when the object has been arranged in a second area ofthe field object proximate to a third object, and, when the object hasbeen arranged in the second area, initiates a second gameplayinteraction between the object and the third object, wherein the secondgameplay interaction is different from the first gameplay interaction.